The Pocket Watch
by ZeroPanda
Summary: Edward and Alphonse meet two strange people on the way to Central.


**The Pocket Watch**

_**This idea wouldn't leave me alone. So I just had to write it, or else it would have stewed in my brain until I went crazy. Bah**_

_**Can you tell I had no idea what to title this as? Haha.. yay for fail-titles. **_

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pandora Hearts or Fullmetal Alchemist. NO SUEING ME.  
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Edward Elric sighed as the train that would take them back to Central finally pulled into the station. The Elric brothers had been waiting for nearly three hours on the bench in front of the station; Edward sat impatiently bouncing his flesh leg on the ground, Alphonse chiding him every now and then but was otherwise relatively silent. Neither of the two really felt in a talkative mood after their latest failed lead on the Philosopher's stone, and so they didn't say much as they waited out the hours on that bench in the unbearable summer heat.

The blond haired youth stood as soon as the train pulled up in front of him, and hardly even waited for his younger brother as he impatiently climbed aboard. When the two made it on successfully, Edward's mind was near its breaking point when he realized exactly how many people were on board. His golden eyes widened considerably as he scanned each and every seat, walking back and forth on the entire locomotive but still not finding a single available seat.

He growled in frustration as he realized that he and his brother would be forced to share. Edward didn't seem to be so good at sharing as he paced the train again, in an attempt to find someone he thought might be tolerable to sit next to. _'Is it tourist season, or what?'_ the youth found himself thinking as he finally settled on a place to sit.

He approached the two males hesitantly, and when they looked up at him and the towering form of his brother behind him, Edward nearly lost his nerve and was about ready to just sit on the floor in the aisle. Seemingly knowing his plan, Alphonse stepped in and came to his rescue, as usual.

"Um, excuse me, but since all the seats are full, we were wondering if perhaps we could sit here?" the older, raven haired man glanced them over briefly before turning to the younger boy across from him. The olive eyed youth glared at them for a time, as if deciding whether or not he wanted to share with these two strangers. After a time, it seemed he made up his mind and stood, taking a step towards the older man and sitting next to him on the other side, making room for the two brothers.

Edward nodded graciously and sat himself next to the window, with Alphonse squeezing in at his side. Alphonse thanked the two, and the younger stranger smiled. Edward was taken back slightly at the blonde's change of character, but he didn't dwell on it as the train finally began to move. He decided to keep his eyes directed out the window, and he watched as the train pulled away from the station, and the outside world began to move beyond the window.

Seconds, minutes, hours could have passed as Edward sat silently looking out the window lost in thought. He hadn't even noticed when Alphonse and the other young boy started up a polite conversation until his own name came up.

"-and this is my brother Edward," Al's voice broke through his thoughts. He looked up as the two strangers' eyes landed on him, and he waved awkwardly. They both nodded in acknowledgment, and turned back to the armored suit in front of them.

"My name is Oz Vessalius, and this is my, um…" the younger started, but seemed lost for the word he was seeking. The older man decided to step in.

"My name is Gilbert Nightray," he said, smiling softly at the youth beside him. The blonde, Oz, laughed awkwardly and seemed to be silently thanking the raven haired man, Gilbert.

"So where are you two headed?" Al asked politely to keep the conversation moving. Edward was now paying full attention to the odd people before him. Everything about them seemed odd, now that he was actually looking at them. The raven haired man was decked head to two in black clothes, with exception to the shirt underneath his jacket and the white gloves he adorned. On top of his head also sat a black hat, tilted up and away from his oddly colored golden green eyes. He screamed the silent type to Edward, as his smile disappeared and he looked back at the two brothers.

"Oh, we're going to Central, I think. We're really just wandering around right now," the boy answered.

The younger stranger, Oz, had soft blonde hair and bright, olive green eyes. He seemed far more sociable than his companion, and spoke easily with Alphonse. His clothes were simple yet somehow still elegant; with a simple white shirt underneath a brown, gold-trimmed vest, and green shorts with boots. As Edward scanned his attire, he came across a golden chain hanging from the boy's pocket. His eyes widened, immediately thinking of the chain hanging out of his own pocket, the one that told the world that he was an alchemist of the state, and he reached out before he could stop himself and grabbed the thing.

Being cut off mid-conversation, Oz's attention snapped to the blonde haired teen as he snatched the chain out of his pocket.

"What do you think you're doing?" he yelled, surprise laden in his voice as he reached to take the precious item back from the other's hands.

"What are you doing with this?" Edward asked, before even looking at the object in his hands.

"What do you mean what am I doing with it? Is it illegal to have a pocket watch?" the blonde youth replied, glaring at the teen across from him. Edward was shocked that the boy was batting off an alchemist pocket watch as just a simple thing, but when he looked at the item in his hand he realized that it was indeed just a simple, normal, non-alchemist of the state, pocket watch. He blushed furiously and handed the thing back to the angry olive-eyed teen, and mumbled an apology as Alphonse scolded him for his rashness.

"What did you think it was?" Oz asked him as he held the item in both hands against his chest, as if guarding it against another attack by Edward.

"I thought it was a state alchemist pocket watch," he admitted sheepishly as he pulled out his own. "I've never seen you before, so I thought maybe you had stolen someone else's." Oz blinked, and then looked quite a bit offended at this.

"I wouldn't steal someone else's pocket watch, that's just absurd," he defended angrily. The raven haired man beside him laid a hand on his shoulder, probably in an attempt to calm the now thoroughly offended teenager. He relaxed considerably so, and Edward was quite amazed at the effect of such a simple gesture.

"Sorry," he apologized again to the boy. Oz nodded his head in acceptance.

"So, what's a state alchemist anyways?" he asked. Gilbert could have sworn he heard the echoing whisper within Al's armor of the words 'oh boy' before Edward's eyes widened and he began on an outright tirade that lasted the remainder of the trip to Central. Oz was beginning to regret even asking.

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_Sometimes I wonder why I even bother posting these silly oneshots XD_

_ that was absolutely awful. Arghh, the plot-bunnies wouldn't leave me alone on this one! Blame them, not me!_


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